The Zambian government is seeking to establish a tourism skills development partnership with a Chinese college, a senior official said in a statement on Thursday.

LUSAKA, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Zambian government is seeking to establish a tourism skills development partnership with a Chinese college, a senior official said in a statement on Thursday.

Tourism Minister Rodney Sikumba made the remarks during his visit to Shaanxi Tourism Cuisine Professional College in Xi'an, the capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

According to the statement, Sikumba held talks with the college's management to review its training facilities and explore areas of cooperation aimed at strengthening Zambia's hospitality and education sectors.

He said Zambia is prioritizing hands-on industry training to meet the evolving needs of the tourism sector and is seeking partnerships that deliver practical curricula, shared certifications, faculty exchanges, and technology transfers.

"The scope for cooperation is wider than gastronomy and hospitality alone," he said, adding that the ministry is also focusing on service niches such as airline services, creativity development, hotel management, food laboratory testing, and mixology.

The ministry, he said, also looks forward to working with the Chinese college to design joint programs, develop modern training modules, and create internship opportunities that benefit Zambian students and the industry.

Established in 1994, Shaanxi Tourism Cuisine Professional College is one of China's leading vocational institutions specializing in tourism and culinary training.  ■